Canning apparatus



S. T. HOYT AND J. S. NAPIER CANNING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 28. I921.

Patented June 6, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET IIIIII III II II llll IIIIU s HOYI AND I. s. NAPIER.

CANNING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FI LED MAR. 28. 192:.

Patented June 6, 1922.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

S. T. HOYT AND J. S. NAPIER.

CANNING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.28. 192-1.

Patented June 6, 1922.

3 SHEETSSHEI-.T 3

UNITED STATES PATENT "OFFICE;

SIMES T. norm AND Joint s. NAPIER, or HONOLULU, TERRITORY or imwnn,

ASSIGNORS- TO HAWAIIAN PINERPPLE.COMPANY,

TERRITORY OF HAWAII.

CANNING- names.

LIMITED, OF HONOLULU,

- Specification of Letters Patent. Patent d J 6 1922 Application filed March as, 1921. Serial No. 456,147.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, SIMES T. HoY'r and JOHN A S. NAPIER, citizens of the United States, residing at and whose post-ofiice address is Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, have lnvented certain new and useful Improve-,

ments in Canning Apparatus; and they do hereby declare the following to ,be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such-as will enable others skilled in theart to which it 'appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to canning apparatus, and particularly to a cooker or cooler construction, of a double-track type, wherein the cans containing the foodstuffs are adapted to be continuously advancedthere through, preferably from-the bottom to the top thereof, and during their course of travel carried backward and forward through the apparatus and successively elevated from one plane to another by a single length of specially designed chain conveyer traveling between the tracks,- said chain having laterally disposed arms engaging the cans to carry them along with the movement of the conveyor, the cans being engaged at all times by the laterally disposed arms, both during the travel of said cans along the different plane levels, and also as said cans are elevated from oneplane to the next higher plane, the apparatus being so constructed at these transfer points to co- I operate with the conveyor chain in a novel I 35 manner, to perform" thislatter function.

I the process of, canning fruit, vegetables and other foods, it is the usual practice to seal the articles in cans, and by the application of heat effect the sterilization of cooking of the materials to prevent subsequent spoilage, the length of time required "and the proper temperature necessary varying with the different kinds of foods.

1 Among the devices generally used for cooking are the hot water open tub type, the closed retort compartment, cooking under pressure at a temperature above 212E, and various types of continuous cookers, n

' whighf'each canis passed through a cham hot water 6r steam, orboth, at the Inv this last type of cooker, the course of the cans through the her desired temperature.

machine must be such that suflicient time is allowed in the hot chamber to insure the I necessary heating of the contents of the cans and thesuflicient cooking thereof.

tural and practical standpoint, for the reaof heat through son that said cans are frequently injured,

and the apparatus jammed, resultingin undesirable delays, and those in which thecontents of the cans .are not agitated require a much longer period of time to accomplish the same degree of heating, and their output is therefore less than would'be the case if adequate mixing of the contents could be brought about during the heating period in a continuous manner without theinher ent disadvantages incident to the previous types of machines ofthis character.

It is likewise important to also manipulate the' cans as they come from the cooker so as to effectively and efliciently cool, the

same without injury to the cans or their contents, or'to the apparatus,'and without such an apparatus the handling of the hot cans coming fromsaid cooker is oftentimes attended with various difliculties.

with more or less access to air, a large amount of floor space and extra handling is required, and if they are stacked in dense piles, at too high a temperature, thec'ooking of the contents may continue, on the principle of the 'fireless cooker, to their serious detriment.

If the. cans are cooled simply by stacking them up It has therefore been foundto be (if g eat advantage to cool the cans by a process operatingupon them immediately after them discharge from the cooker, in such away that their temperature will be reduced to the point where they can be conveniently handled, immediately labeled and packed, and thereby overcome the various difiiculties incident to this artificial cooling, which has heretofore been practiced in a more or less inefl'ective manner. It has therefore been' found preferable, and; very desirable from a practical standpoint, to cause the cans during the cooling process to travel separately and successively as in the cooker construction, for the necessary plength of time through a cooling medium, and the present invention is equally well adapted for such use, the same general arrangement, conveyor construction, and mode of operation being identical in both cases, it only being necessary to substitute a cooling medium, where a cooler is desired, requiring simply a dupli-.

to the cooker, and. likewise, a constant inwill move horizontally for a distance, sub-.

take of heated cans and an output of cooled cans, when. applied to the cooler, at the same time causing a continuous agitation of the contents of said cans,.thus shortening the time of cookingorcooling thereof, and thus increasing the capacity of the machine, the

whole operation being carried on by the.

use of a single conveyor chain, without injury to the cans or their contents and w1thout loss of time due to the constant stoppage of the machine,-as in the common'types of so-called continuously operated apparatus of a similar character.

These advantages are secured by causing the cans to travel through the machine by rolling on tracks so arranged that said cans stantially' the length of the apparatus, whereupon they are elevated to a slightly higher level and roll horizontally in the return direction and again elevated, this rolling of the cans from one end of the machine to the other, at constantly increasing elevations, being continued until they are ultimately discharged, having been exposed during their period of passage through said machine to the action of hot water or steam, or a cooling medium,- as the case may be.

The cans are caused to move along these tracks by means of a single moving endless chain provided with a series of lateral pro jections, which inaddition to moving the cans along the various'levels assist in elevating them from one' plane to the next higher plane, said mechanism of tracks and chain,

with the auxiliary sprockets, guides, etc.,

being mounted inside a housing or the. like supplied with the necessary heating or cooling medium or media. Thus by the improved means for continuously rolling the cans, their contents is continually agitated, allowing the heating or cooling medium to effect a thorough cooking or cooling in a very short time.

By reason of the large number of cans capable of being handled by the machine,

their rapid and continuous motion, and the general design of the apparatus, there is accomplished a great economy in space and time, without injury tothe cans or theircontents, as is oftentimes the case in the usual so-called endless conveyor apparatus, where a series of endless chains is employed and the cans are droppedfrom one flight to the other, oftentimes resulting in the-further disadvantages of jamming or injury to the apparatus and the frequent stoppage thereof. 1

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view in side elevation, showing the framework of the apparatus and its cooperating mechanism.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view in side elevation of one end thereof, more clearly illustrating the essential features of the invention and the operating mechanism.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailed view, partly in section and partly in elevation, of the means for elevating the cans from one flight to the next higher flight, taken in line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 44 of Fig. 3, and

Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate modifications, whereby the-apparatus may be adapted to either the cooker or cooler constructions.

- Referring to the drawings in detail, with particular reference to Fig. 1, the invention comprises a substantially rectangular framework consisting of a base including a pair of connected main side sills 1, vertically disposed corner members 2, and oppositely disposed, vertically arranged intermediate -members 3,, the lower ends of said members being appropriately secured to the longitudinal sills or base 1. vExtending transversely of the framework, and having their ends secured to said corner and intermediate members, are a series of vertically spaced, horizontally disposedcross-bars or supports 2 and 3, upon which are supported within the corner members 2 and intermediate members 3, a series of parallel arranged tracks 4 disposed at different levels, there being two pairs of tracks to each level, forming a double track-way arrangement, the

corner members 2 being sufliciently spaced transversely of the framework to permit this double track-way arrangement, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. Each track is preferably llO of L-shape in cross section, forming a sup-U porting flange for the cans, and also a vertically disposed flange to prevent the lateral displacement of the cans during their course along the track.

The herein described framework may be of any size, and the parallel arranged trackways or flights may be of any lengthand number, but it has been found preferable 5 u and preferably on the'supports 5, a slack to limit the same to ten flights or runs of substantially 18' feet in length,-which will allow the rolling can a path of at least 180 feet. j

' At one end of the framework is secured a pair of inclined supports 5, having mounted thereon'the operating mechanism for the apparatus, to'be hereinafter more fully described, tlie base 1 being provided with end extensions 6 for attaching thereto the lower ends of the inclined supports 5, the upper ends of said supports being secured in any convenient manner to the adjacent upper corners of the framework. Secured to the corner members 2, adjacent the ends of the track-ways 4, and adapted to cooperate v therewith, are semi-circular hdusings or guides comprising disc-like end plates 7, having their curved outer edges connected by semi-circular plates'8, each forming sub-.

stantially an inclosed housing for retaining and guiding the cans as'they are conveyed upwardly from one flight to theother, in a manner to be hereinafter more fully described. The disc-like plates 7 of each housing are, provided with central openings forming bearings for a shaft 9, carrying a sprocket 10, around which a conveyor chain 11 is adapted to run from end to end of the machine during its continuous course therethrough, the said chain 11 being provided with laterally disposed arms 12 for engaging and causing the movement of- 'the cans 13 along the tracks t. It is to be here understood that the conveyor chain travels between the double track-ways, and that the "laterally disposed arms project over said tracks -'to engage the cans thereon. The chain 11 preferably moves in a direction to convey the cans from the bottom of the ap paratus to the top thereof and the movements of said chain are controlled by a sprocket 14, securedto a shaft 15, journalled on the upper ends of the inclined supports 5. This shaft 15 also carries a gear wheel 16, meshing with a pinion 17, keyed to the shaft supporting the driving pulley 18, also. located" on the supports 5, imm e'diately below the mounting for the sprocket 14 and gear Wheel 16.

As hereinbefore stated, the conveyor chain 11 is of asingle continuous length, and in order 'to compensate for the slacking of said chain, owing to wear .or other conditions, there is mounted 1n the circuit of said chain,

adjusting device 19, which .is substantially a sprocket equipped with a proper mount-- ing, SlidfiblY POS1t10I1Bd on. the supports 5, in a manner to'be hereinafter more fully described. As the chain passes over the driv-' ingsprocket '14, and around the slack adjusting sprocket 19, the circuit is completed by the chain finally passing around the sprocket- 20, mounted on the base extensions 6, at which point said chain is conducted and guided into the entrance orreceiving end of the apparatus, where the'cans containing the foodstuff to be cooked or cooled are conveyed by an inclined track 21, having mounted thereon an automatic gate arrangement 22 for controlling the entrance of the cans,

successively, to the apparatus, where they are engaged by the laterally disposed arms 12 of the conveyor chain 11 and conducted backward and forward through said apparatus, preferably from the bottom to the topthereof, by way of the successive flights, the

chain not only being adapted to convey the scribed, the inner "rails of each track-way of.

the chute 23 being cut away as at 24 sufficiently to allow the laterally disposed arms 12 of the conveyor chain 11 to pass through in its continuous course around and through .theapparatus, the cans rolling by gravity from the delivery chute 23 to the desired point for the next operation. If the herein described apparatus is to be used as a cooker, the track 23 will deliver the cans to a similar apparatus wherein they will be put through the'cooling process, and. as the cans are then delivered from the cooler by the track corresponding to 23, they will be-conducted to the proper location, where the neoessary labels are applied and. the cans packed for shipment.-

' As hereinbefore 'stated, the particular novelty of this invention, over similar apparatus well known in the art, is that the cans are conveyed through the cooking or cooling medium b a single length of a continuously operate conveyor chain, thecans moving preferably from the bottom to the top of the apparatus, being elevated from oneflight to another, the laterally disposed arms of the conveyor chain not only adapted to move the cans along the level trackways of the various flights, but at all times controlling the-movement of said canseven while they are being transferred to the successive fl1ghts.' This elevating of the cans at the transfer points at the ends of the track-ways 'is accomplished by a novel arrangement of semi-cylindrical housing, shown detail in Figs.v 3 and 4. It will be here noted that .shaft 9, journalled' in the disc-like end .plates7, has mounted therein intermediate its ends a sprocket 10, around which the conveyor chain is conducted. Also carried by said shaft 9, and disposed at each side of the sprocket 10, are rollers 25 provided with end flanges 26, the rollers 25 being of such length and the flanges 26, thereof being so spaced as to allow for the rotation of the cans 13 around the'rollers 25, and permitting them to be maintained in. proper position, being confined against lateral movement by the end flanges 26 of said rollers 25 during the elevation of the cans from one track to the other.

Cooperating with the rollers 25 is a semicylindrical guide or retaining plate 8, arranged concentric with said rollers and properly spaced therefrom. to permit the passage of the cans between the roller and said retaining plate, as said cans are pushed therebetween by the laterally disposed arms of the conveyor chain. By this arrangement the cans are maintained incontact with the conveyor at all times, and in their same relative position with respect thereto and to each other, from the time they enter the apparatus until they are finally discharged upon the completion of the cooking or cooling process. This is highly important and a material advantage over present constructions of apparatus of this type, whereby the cans are dropped from one flight to another, leaving one conveyor to be subsequently picked up by another conveyor, this same operation not only occurring once in the course of the cans through these previous constructions, but eachtime a can is dropped to adifferent flight or elevation, and, consequently, the more flights employed the more danger there is of 'amming the appara-- tus and the denting of the cans, which in time will result,al'so, in injury to the apparati1s, necessitating the frequent stopping thereof to make the necessary repairs. v

' In order to bridge the space between the ends of the track-ways,'at'the upper outlet end of the apparatus, and that section of track-way adjacent the discharge chute,

there is rovided a pair of flanged rollers 27 acting in a similar manner to the flanged rollers 25, hereinbefore described, these rollers 27, however, being merely for the purpose of conveying the cans from the horizontal track-Ways to the angularly disposed track-ways and at the same time preventing any lateral displacement thereof.

It will be perfectly obvious that where a long, single, continuous length of chain is employed, necessary means will have to be provided for taking care of the slack in said chain, which, from time to time might develop, due to wear or other conditions. For this purpose there is provided a slack adjusting sprocket 19, secured to a shaft 28, having its ends rotatably supported in bearings 29, which are in turn slidably positioned in a pair of guide members 30, secured to-the Lei en diagonal supports 5. Each of the sliding bearings 29 isprovided with a screw 31 engaging threads in an upstanding end portion 32 of the guide member 30, the outer ends of the screw 31 being equipped with a socket fitting 33 in whichmay be inserted a rod or bar for rotating said screw and thereby adjusting the sprocket and its supporting bearings longitudinally of the angularly disposed members .5, and thus tightening or slacking the conveyor may require.

The particular form of gate, designated chain as conditions as 22, which forms the subject matter of a I co-pending application, Ser. No. 448,716 has been found to be most effective for the successive feeding of the cansinto the entrance .of the apparatus, so that there will be no jamming or piling up'of said cans at this point, comprlses a U-shaped member 34having its free ends pivoted at 35 to one of the supportsof the. inclined track-way 21. The

track-way construction, above referred to,

eachtrack being L-shaped in. cross-section as the tracks previously described, said inclined track-ways at their lower ends having their can-supporting: flanges cut away to permit the cans to dropsuccessively off of the ends thereof after being checked by the stop 36 of the gate 22, thus allowing only one can at a time to bedeposited on the lower track-ways of the apparatus in a position to be picked up by the laterally disposed arms 12 of the conveyor chain 11.

As hereinbefore stated, the general-form of apparatus herein described is equally well adapted as a-cooker or a cooler, it only being necessary to provide a different means pf inclosing the framework. The modificationshown in Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional View, illustrating the mechanism as applied to a cooker construction. In so using the apparatus, the framework will be inclosed in a housing 38 in order to. retain therewithin the cookingmedium, preferably'steam, admitted thereto by- 'p-ipes'or the like 39, disposed along the bottom of the apparatus.

When the device is tobe used for a cooler, the inclosure 38 1s dispensed with and in its place is substituted an openwork structure ment of. deflecting baffle plates 41 for the purpose of confining and directing to the cans the cooling fluid, such as water or thelike, which is adapted to be sprayed down:

for the circulation ofair, and an arrangee i wardly from the top of the apparatus apparatus is to ,be used for a cooker or a.

cooler, through which water the cans are first conducted as they enter the apparatus to cause the initial heating or cooling of the foodstufi's contained inthe cans.

In order to prevent any tendency of the cans to that to the surface of the water in the trough 40, a series of longitudinally. arranged track-like members 42 are positioned in said trough immediately above the track-ways of the bottom flight support ing the cans.

Of course means are provided for maintaining the proper level ofthe water 'n the.

trough 40 so that there will be no anger of flooding or overflowing of the water-there from. i I

Themovingof-the cans through the apparatus from the bottom to the top thereof is particularly desirable when said apparatus is used as. a cooler, as it makes use of the well known and. highly advantageous counter -flow. principle of heat exchange, which is not possible with the usual form of apparatus, wherein the cans are caused to move from the top to the bottom thereof. With the present cooler construction, herein described, the cooling water or similar fluid being sprayeddownwardly from the top of the apparatus, the coldest water first comes in contact with the most nearly cooled 'cans,

completing the cooling process, and the most highly heated cans, coming immediately from the cooker, are brought into contact With the water which has already been in con- I tact with cans at lower temperatures, so that.

the .water which flows away from the apparatus-is heated to a high temperature and its cooling properties have been most ef-' fectively utilized, resulting in great economy in the amount of water used, combined with efiicient cooling.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that applicants have provided a very simple yet eflicient apparatus whereby a continuous series of cans maybe conducted by gravity into the apparatus, conveyed therethrough byway of a series of bights, and discharged from said apparatus, also by gravity, the cans being rolled continuously,

preferably from the bottomrto the top of the apparatus, said operations being accoin phshed by a smgle endless conveyor, means being provided on the conveyor for main-. taming contact with each individual can at all times while the cans .are being moved along the respective flights, and also during the elevating of said cans from one flight to the next higher flight, all of which has been found, from practical use and operation of the apparatus, to be a decided improvement over previous constructions of so-called continuously operated apparatus, where1n a separate endless chain is used in connection with each flight, and the cans are caused to move downwardly. from the top to the bottom of the apparatus.

What we claim is:

1. In an apparatus for cooking or cooling foodstuffs in cans, the combination with a the top of the apparatus, an endless chain conveyor mounted to travel between said pairs of track-ways, laterally disposed projections carried by said chain for engaging the cans on both track-ways to cause the movement of the .cans thereon, and means carried at the ends of the track-ways adapted, to cooperate with said chain to cause the elevation of said cans from the track-way of one plane to the higher plane.

' 2. In an apparatus for cooking or cooling foodstuffs in cans, the combination with a series of flights, each flight comprising a pair of track-ways whereby a double row ofcans is progressively elevated, of means for admitting the cans at the bottom of the apparatus, means for discharging said cans at the cans is pro re'ssively elevated, of means for admitting t e cans at the bottom of the apparatus', means for discharging. said cans at the top of-the apparatus, an endlesschain I conveyor mounted to travel between said pairs of track-ways, laterally disposed proectionscarried by said chain for engaging track-way of the next 1 top of the apparatus, an endless chain conthe cans thereon, hollow, substantially cylindricalzshatpedhousings' connecting the adjacent en s -of said track-ways through which the chain passes, and rollers mounted within said housm around which the cans are caused to roll h y the movement oi. said chain to elevate said cans from the trackways of one plane to the track-ways of the next higlmr plane.-

' foodstuffs in cans,

1 admitting the cans taining 4:. In an apparatus for cooking or cooling the combination with a series of flights, each flight comprising a pair of track-ways wherebya double row of cans is progressively elevated, of means for at the bottom of the apparatus, means for discharging said cans at the top of the apparatus, an endless chain I conveyor mounted to travel between said pairs of track-ways, laterally disposed projections carried by said chain for ,engagmg the cans on both track-ways to cause the movement of the cans thereon, hollow, semicylindrical housings, connecting in pairs the adjacent ends of said vertically spa ed trackways, a shaft concentrically moun ed within each housing, rotatable means carried midway of said shaft adapted to support and around which the chain is conducted, and a flanged roller also rotatablymounted on said shaft to each side of saidfchain-supporting means, around which the cans from the track-ways are caused to roll b the movement of said chain to elevate sai cans from the track-ways of one plane to the trackways of the next higher plane. 1

- 5. In an apparatus for cooking or cooling foodstuffs in cans, the combination with a framework of a series of vertically spaced,v

horizontally arranged, superimposed trackways arranged in pairs,supported within said framework, along Twhich the cans conpositioned at the entrance of said apparatus, means cooperating with the inclined trackways for successively admitting said cans on to the lowermost track-ways at the bottom of said framework, inclined track-ways at the top of said frame-work for discharging the cans, an endless chain conveyor mounted to travel between said track-ways, latfthe track-ways, for engaging the cans asthey" enter the frameworkfmov-ingrthem along;

erally disposed projecting arms carried by said chaln, extending over both tracks of said track-ways, and also conducting them to the inclined discharging track-ways, .in a contln'uous manner,and substantially closed housings connecting the adjacent ends of foodstuffs in cans, the combination with a,

said track-ways within the framework, through which the chain in its course is adapted to pass and cooperate therewith to cause the elevation of said cans from the track-ways ofone plane to the track-ways of j the next higher plane.

6. In an apparatus for cooking or cooling framework of a series of vertically spaced,

I horizontally arranged; superimposed trackways arranged in pairs, supported within said framework, along which the canscontaining the foodstuffs under treatment are the foodstuffs under treatment areadapted "to roll' from the bottom to the top of the apparatus, inclined track-ways.

ed to travel between said track-ways,

adapted to rollfroin the bottom to the top of the apparatus, inclined trackways -pos1-' tioned at the entrance. of said apparatus,

means cooperating with the inclined trackways for successively admitting said cans on to the lowermost track-ways at the bottom of said framework, inclined track-ways at the top of said frame-work for discharging the cans, an endless chain conveyor mounted to travel between said track-ways, laterally disposed projecting arms carried by saidchain, extending over both tracks of the trackways, for engaging. the cans as they enter the framework, moving them along said them to the inclined discharging track-ways, in a continuous manner; substantially hollow, cylindrical housings connecting the adjacent ends of said track-ways within the framework, through which the chain in its course is adapted to pass, and rollers mounted within said housings around which the cans are caused to roll by the movement of said chain to elevate said cans from the track-ways of one plane to the track-ways track-ways, and also conducting means cooperating with the inclined track 1 ways for successively admitting said cans on to the lowermost track-ways at the bottom of said framework, inclined track-ways at the top of said framework for dischargingv the cans, an endless chain conveyor mounter'ally disposed projecting arms carried by saldcham, extending over both tracks of s the track-ways, for engaging the cans as they enter the framework, moving them along latsaid track-ways, and also conducting them to the inclined discharging track-ways, in a continuous manner; hollow, semi-cylindri- 'cal housings c'onnectingin pairs the. adjacent ends of said horizontally arranged, vertically spaced track-ways, a shaft concentricallymounted within each housing, means carried midway of said shaft adapted to support and around which the chain is conducted, a'fianged roller rotatably mounted on said 'shaft'to each side of said chain-supporting means, around which the cans from the track-ways are caused to roll by the movement of said chainsto elevate saidcansfrom-the track-ways of one plane to the trackaways of the next higher plane, and flanged rollers mounted at the discharge end of the uppermost horizontal track-ways over which the cans are conducted by the chain to the inclined discharging track-ways.

8. In an apparatus for cooking or cooling foodstuffs in cans, the combination with a framework of a series of vertically spaced, horizontally arranged, superimposed track- -ways arranged in pairs, supported within said framework, along which the cans containing the foodstuffs under treatment are adapted to roll from the bottom to the top of the apparatus, inclined track-ways positioned at the entrance of said apparatus, an automatic gate cooperating with the inclined track-ways for successively admitting said cans on to the lowermost track-ways at the bottom of said framework, inclined trackways at the top of said framework for discharging the cans, an endless chain conveyor mounted to travel between said track-ways, oppositely disposed, laterally projecting arms carried by said chain, extending over both tracks of the track-ways, for engaging the cans as they enter the framework, moving them along said track-ways, and also conducting them to the inclined dischai'ging track-ways, in a continuous manner, and substantially closed housings connecting the adjacent ends of said track-ways within the framework, through which the chain in its course is adapted to pass and cooperate therewith to cause the elevation of said cans from the track-ways of one plane to the track-ways of the next higher plane, means for operating said chain, and means for regulating the tension of said chain, both carried by the framework.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures.

SIMES T. HOYT. JOHN S. NAPIER. 

